Bernie’s offer to teams the same
FIA President Max Mosley has been voicing his support for Ecclestone and says that Ecclestone has long-term contracts with the race promoters. This is true but it ought to be pointed out that both sides have obligations under such contracts. Promoters have to pay Ecclestone and he had to deliver them cars. If he does not have bona fide F1 cars, he does not have a contract. Mosley also said that Ecclestone controls the Formula 1 brand. This is partly true although all that is necessary for someone to add TM to the end of an expression is an application for a trademark. The granting of the trademark is a rather more complicated issue. The FIA owns the right to "Formula One", which is not the same as Formula 1. The other point that should be remembered is that the three banks who are partners in the Formula One group are currently challenging Ecclestone for control of the company and so it is not Ecclestone who has the contracts and brands. It is the company. If the banks control the company Ecclestone might end up with very little say in the matter, still less if the banks did a deal with the GPWC and put iSe in control of the commercial side of the business. More at Grandprix.com